Va-Yera Genesis 18:1-22:24
Abraham’s intercession 18:23-18:33
God informs Abraham of his intention to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah (and by implication, the other three towns mentioned in Genesis 14). Abraham tries to talk God out of it but fails. Abraham’s argument is doomed to failure because it is based on the false premise that people can be divided into two groups “the innocent” and “the guilty” instead of all people being innocent about some things some of the time and guilty about some things some of the time.
The sin of Sodom 19:4-11
In the flood story it is the members of the divine court who seek to mate with humans. In the story of Sodom, humans who seek to mate with the divine. Intercourse between human and divine is symbolic of the sin to transgress the boundaries between heaven and earth. The story of Babel can also be interpreted as a transgression between heaven and earth in sexual terms since the tower can be thought of as a giant phallus designed to pierce the firmament. The sociopolitical meaning of the transgression for the Babylonian exiles is given in chapter 14, where Sodom and the other cities of the plain use military force to rebel against King Chedorlaomer instead of relying on God for their deliverance.
The connection of Sodom with homosexuality is an accidental consequence of the sexism of the Torah that prevented God’s messengers from being portrayed as female. The frequent reference to judging in the story indicates that the transgression is that the people usurped God’s role and insisted on playing the judge and not leaving vengeance for God.
Lot’s intercession 19:18-22
Lot is told to flee into the hills but Lot tells God that he can’t flee that far as fast as he needs to and asks that the destruction not go as far as the tiny town of Zoar so that he can flee there. Lot’s request is granted and God saves the town of Zoar, which was intended for destruction with the other cities of the plain. Lot’s successful intercession was a request for mercy while Abraham’s failed intercession was a demand for justice.
Abraham sells Sarah into sexual slavery and Isaac’s conception 20:1-21:8
This is a repeat of the first sexual slavery story but this time we learn that Abraham has been doing this to Sarah ever since he has left his father house. Is this story placed immediately before the announcement of Sarah’s conception of Isaac for a reason? Ishmael was conceived by Hagar shortly after Sarah gave her to Abraham to be his concubine. Now Isaac is conceived by Sarah shortly after Abraham sells her to Abimelech to be his concubine.
Expulsion of Hagar and Abraham’s covenant with Abimelch 21.9-34
The first part of this story is a repeat of the first Hagar expulsion story. Sarah’s plea: “The son of a slave shall not share in the inheritance,” is masterful biblical irony.
The second part concerns Abraham’s dispute with Abimilech. We are told in the Ishmael story that “God was with the boy and he grew up.” Abimelech says to Abraham “God is with you in everything you do.” Both stories feature a well. What message is intended by the shared elements of these two stories?
The Akedah 22:1-19
Does this story exemplify the conflict within Abraham for his desire for biological progeny and his covenant with God to be the spiritual and moral progenitor of all people who respect the boundaries between heaven and earth and treat all humanity as their kin?
Rebekah 22:20-24
The Torah portions have been divided so that the focus of next week’s portion is first mentioned at the end of the previous weeks’ portion (although next week’s is an exception.) B’reishit goes from creation to Noah. Noah goes from Noah to Abram and Sarai. Lekh L’kha goes from Abram and Sarai to Abraham and Sarah. And Va-Year goes from Abraham and Sarah to Rebekah. The central character in the generation following Abraham and Sarah is Rebekah not Isaac.
Abraham’s intercession 18:23-18:33
God informs Abraham of his intention to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah (and by implication, the other three towns mentioned in Genesis 14). Abraham tries to talk God out of it but fails. Abraham’s argument is doomed to failure because it is based on the false premise that people can be divided into two groups “the innocent” and “the guilty” instead of all people being innocent about some things some of the time and guilty about some things some of the time.
The sin of Sodom 19:4-11
In the flood story it is the members of the divine court who seek to mate with humans. In the story of Sodom, humans who seek to mate with the divine. Intercourse between human and divine is symbolic of the sin to transgress the boundaries between heaven and earth. The story of Babel can also be interpreted as a transgression between heaven and earth in sexual terms since the tower can be thought of as a giant phallus designed to pierce the firmament. The sociopolitical meaning of the transgression for the Babylonian exiles is given in chapter 14, where Sodom and the other cities of the plain use military force to rebel against King Chedorlaomer instead of relying on God for their deliverance.
The connection of Sodom with homosexuality is an accidental consequence of the sexism of the Torah that prevented God’s messengers from being portrayed as female. The frequent reference to judging in the story indicates that the transgression is that the people usurped God’s role and insisted on playing the judge and not leaving vengeance for God.
Lot’s intercession 19:18-22
Lot is told to flee into the hills but Lot tells God that he can’t flee that far as fast as he needs to and asks that the destruction not go as far as the tiny town of Zoar so that he can flee there. Lot’s request is granted and God saves the town of Zoar, which was intended for destruction with the other cities of the plain. Lot’s successful intercession was a request for mercy while Abraham’s failed intercession was a demand for justice.
Abraham sells Sarah into sexual slavery and Isaac’s conception 20:1-21:8
This is a repeat of the first sexual slavery story but this time we learn that Abraham has been doing this to Sarah ever since he has left his father house. Is this story placed immediately before the announcement of Sarah’s conception of Isaac for a reason? Ishmael was conceived by Hagar shortly after Sarah gave her to Abraham to be his concubine. Now Isaac is conceived by Sarah shortly after Abraham sells her to Abimelech to be his concubine.
Expulsion of Hagar and Abraham’s covenant with Abimelch 21.9-34
The first part of this story is a repeat of the first Hagar expulsion story. Sarah’s plea: “The son of a slave shall not share in the inheritance,” is masterful biblical irony.
The second part concerns Abraham’s dispute with Abimilech. We are told in the Ishmael story that “God was with the boy and he grew up.” Abimelech says to Abraham “God is with you in everything you do.” Both stories feature a well. What message is intended by the shared elements of these two stories?
The Akedah 22:1-19
Does this story exemplify the conflict within Abraham for his desire for biological progeny and his covenant with God to be the spiritual and moral progenitor of all people who respect the boundaries between heaven and earth and treat all humanity as their kin?
Rebekah 22:20-24
The Torah portions have been divided so that the focus of next week’s portion is first mentioned at the end of the previous weeks’ portion (although next week’s is an exception.) B’reishit goes from creation to Noah. Noah goes from Noah to Abram and Sarai. Lekh L’kha goes from Abram and Sarai to Abraham and Sarah. And Va-Year goes from Abraham and Sarah to Rebekah. The central character in the generation following Abraham and Sarah is Rebekah not Isaac.
posted by ross at 7:09 PM
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